France – Heading Home – 4/13/2018

Another lovely breakfast in the ancient wine cellar below the Millesime Hotel. Then back to our rooms to finish packing. We always carry an extra ripstop nylon bag with us so we can add a carry-on for the trip home if we buy gifts, etc. The good news: everything fit into our two carry-on rolling bags plus Larry’s backpack and my carry-on computer bag. No checked bags, thank goodness.

We went down to the lobby to settle our bills and wait for our airport transport. Another surprise: we had the same driver who picked us up when we arrived. Somehow, it felt comforting, like we were seeing another friend.

Larry and Bob both commented about how awful Paris traffic was. They agreed they were glad they weren’t driving in it. The motorcycles racing in and out of crazy traffic made the situation even more scary.

We arrived at De Gaulle, located the Norwegian Air terminal, checked in, went through security, and then found our gate. The boarding process was the usual hurry-up-and-wait we have come to expect. At last on the plane, we were relieved to see our equipment was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner as on our flight when we arrived.

Au revoir to France.

This time, our seats were near the back of the plane, but they were comfortable. The personal entertainment systems—with free access—provided quite a few choices. I was happy I had brought my noise-cancelling headphones. Larry brought a few sets of earbuds, so he loaned Bob and Bernie each a set for the return flight.

I had seen nearly all the movies I was interested in, so I listened to my iPod and read a book on my Kindle Fire.

Once again, we were served meals, included in the price of our tickets. Not great, but satisfactory.

We arrived in Los Angeles on time. The plane taxied for what seemed like several miles to a building far away from the main terminals. It looked like the same one where we boarded the plane for our departure flight.

Then, we followed the same routine as on our previous flight but in reverse: recover our bags, deplane, walk down the long, winding ramp to the ground floor, board busses. They took us back to the main terminal.

We found ourselves in one huge area. Instead of the separate customs areas we had seen on previous trips, everyone on international flights is now processed together in the same area. The result is several long, long, long lines.

We were routed to computer terminals where our faces were photographed, then to others where we scanned our passports. Then we moved onto another set of terminals were our passports were compared to the photos. And on, and on.

We finally approached the last long queue where our passports would be stamped. Bob and Bernie moved ahead, but we were rerouted to the opposite end of the building where those with foreign passports had been processed, Then, we waited, and waited, and waited.

Bob and Bernie finished and waved as they passed by our area.

One by one, the people in our queue approached the desk. One officer manned one station for all of us waiting in line. (The other area where Bob and Bernie went had several officers working.) So, our line didn’t move very fast.

It took nearly an hour just to get through this part of the process. Finally, two more officers opened additional stations.

Two-and-a-half hours after we landed, we finally reached the lobby, where Bob and Bernie’s grandson, Clayton, had been waiting. What a sight for sore eyes!

The trip home in the van went well, and we finally arrived—tired and on overload with the memories all our wonderful experiences.

France – Day 15 – 4/12/2018

We woke to our last full day in France. Our bed was comfortable, and I slept well. I still had some pain, but it had diminished considerably.

The bathroom was modern and lovely. I enjoyed the shower, and the heat helped ease my aches.

We followed directions and went downstairs via the circular stairway. We entered the basement room, and I was impressed.

The walls of the old building had been whitewashed. In contrast, the very modern furniture and accessories worked well. I would never have thought of using these pieces in such an old structure, but the place looked gorgeous.

When we went to the lobby, we asked about the building. The concierge, Damien, told us all the property for several blocks from the cathedral had originally belonged to the church. This particular mansion contained the original wine cellar. It was protected by a historical designation. Somehow, respect for the history and modern convenience had been balanced perfectly here.

Our room was on the ground floor, and Bob & Bernie’s was above us. Theirs had its own private balcony.

Bob wanted to see the new Monet Museum, Musee Marmottan Monet, so we found the route and took the Metro. What a wonderful place. The special exhibit featured the works of Corot, focused on his models. The paintings were spectacular. And the museum contained so much more.

One area featured the works of many of the impressionists, including Monet. Another area featured Napoleonic era artwork. Still another featured religious icons and illuminations.

We all enjoyed this museum and agreed we were happy to have been able to see it.

Since it was lunchtime, we found the Tabac de la Muette, where we enjoyed some of our favorites. Bernie and I ate Croque Monsier again. Larry had the Croque Royale. Bob ordered a pepper burger. We shared an order of frites (French fries).

Since we still had some time, we decided to go to the Champs-Élysées to see the Arc de Triomphe up close and personal. So, back to the Metro and into town. The exit put us in front of the Arc. Bob wasn’t interested in taking the elevator to the top. (He is terrified of heights.) Besides, it was crowded, and it was raining.

Then we decided we ought to see the Moulin Rouge.

We took the obligatory photos and then headed back to the hotel.

I had heard so much about the delicious soup the others had enjoyed the evening before, I suggested we return to Au 35 for dinner.

We arrived about half an hour before they opened. Since it was raining, the owner let us stay while he prepared for dinner service.

Bob had decided to order a glass of the same wine he’d had the night before. Larry ordered one, too. The owner asked if Bernie or I wanted wine. I declined, but Bernie described the type she enjoyed and asked him to recommend something. Our wine arrived. Bernie enjoyed the variety he recommended.

We savored our chance to relax until the restaurant opened. The owner took our orders, and other guests arrived.

A couple sat down at the next table. The lady admired Bernie’s cross necklace, and we began a conversation.

The couple, Michel and Julia Moreau, met when they were serving in the Peace Corps. She was American, and he was French. They married and returned to the US, where they raised a family. Once their children were grown, they moved back to Michel’s hometown in Normandy. However, they travel back to the US often to see their family.

We ate a delicious dinner and then ordered our final French dessert. I went back to crème brulee, but Larry ordered their specialty, pistachio crème brulee. We both enjoyed our selections.

This was the perfect way to end our final day in France: good food, good friends, new friends, and delightful conversation.

The final blog next time: Back to reality.

France – Day 14 – 4/11/2018

France – Day 14 – 4/11/2018

We packed and got ready to leave Bayeux, but we wanted to return to the Poppies Shop before we left. We decided to get a gift for Julie from AAA, who helped plan the trip. Everything in the shop was different and beautiful.

So, after breakfast, we walked back to the shop. It wasn’t open yet. To the side of the shop was a waterwheel, so Larry and Bob photographed it.

We had given up on waiting for the shop to open, when the young lady who worked there (probably the owner’s daughter) arrived and unlocked the door. Hooray. We bought Julie a nice hand-painted scarf and considered the day a success—and it was still before ten o’clock in the morning.

On the way back to the hotel, we photographed the oldest building in Bayeux.

Built in the 14^th century, this place held tradesmen. Their showrooms and sales spaces occupied the first floor. The upper stories held housing and workshops. For an eight-hundred-year-old building, it looked pretty good.

We checked out of the hotel and took our luggage to the parking area. Once again, I was less than helpful.

As we got into the car, Bob, who was riding shotgun, took the rental paperwork out of the glove box. He opened to the page showing the condition of the car when we picked it up. The diagram showed three large Xs on the rear quarter panel where Larry thought he had scraped the building. Even though we had paid for insurance, Larry felt so much better to know he hadn’t caused any damage at all.

About halfway back to Paris, we stopped for fuel and decided to eat lunch at the restaurant at the plaza, Courtepaille. The food was good, and we saved an extra stop on the way.

Once again, we followed the GPS to our final Paris hotel, the Millesime in Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Once again, Julie picked a winner. This was my favorite hotel of the trip.

Larry:

The GPS lead us right to the hotel location, and Bob found a parking place, actually in a loading zone, near the entrance. We checked in and settled the bags into our rooms. Then we left Bernie and Lorna to rest while Bob and I returned the car to Hertz.

The faithful GPS got us to the street address listed on the Hertz form, but we saw no sign of a rental car return. Since the street was adjacent to the main Paris train station, the area was extremely crowded. After several laps around the block, dodging taxis, motorcycles, and pedestrians, I suggested we park and I would search on foot,

We did another lap or two searching for an open parking space. Finally, Bob spotted a likely place on the opposite side of the street. Throwing caution to the wind, he made a midblock U-turn into the loading zone for a hotel. The hotel was being renovated, so scaffolding covered most of the building. Bob stayed in the car while I scouted. I spotted the original Hertz office—the one with the “We’ve moved” sign on the door.

I was able to retrace my steps from before using the instructions I had photographed on my phone. Up the street, into the shopping center, down the elevator two levels, and through the exit doors to the underground parking garage, where the new Hertz office was located.

I found a fellow in a Hertz shirt. “Can you show me where we return the car?”

The pleasant attendant apologized. He was alone at the counter and couldn’t leave, but he explained the entrance to the underground parking was adjacent to the hotel under construction. He said to follow the signs and to ignore the arrows on the ground. The parking structure was also being renovated, and what used to be the exit was now the entrance.

When I reached the street, Bob saw me and started the car to pick me up. I yelled and held out my hands to get him to stop because the below-ground parking entrance was actually behind the vehicle.

Half-hidden by scaffolding, I spotted a grouping of signs, each about eleven-inches by seventeen-inches, advertising stores in the shopping center. Amid these, one said Hertz.

I watched for traffic while Bob backed the car up the street. (Bob refused to go around the block again.)

Then I joined him. We drove down the ramp, past the crossed-out exit sign, and followed the arrows pointing the wrong direction.

Finally, the rental car was home.

Bob hailed a taxi, and we rested on our way back to the hotel.

Once they returned, the others said they were hungry. I wasn’t since I was still full from lunch, so the other three left for dinner.

The concierge recommended Au 35, right down the street. Bernie had been hungry for soup, other than French onion, throughout the trip. This restaurant had a specialty soup: chickpea with celery and tomato. She loved it. They all enjoyed the food and the ambiance.

We were tired after the drive, so we made it an early evening.

Next: Our last day in Paris

France – Day 9 – 4/6/2018

After breakfast, we prepared to move on to the next phase of the trip. On our way back upstairs, we asked the clerk to order us a taxi. Shortly after we returned to the lobby, the cab arrived.

Larry checked us out of the timeshare while the rest of us took our luggage outside. The clerk at the desk seemed utterly flustered and confused. She first looked at our bill and said there were no charges. However, he reminded her about the room tax and the charges for breakfast. She looked again and nodded. Larry handed her his credit card, and she ran it. After we drove away, he discovered we had been undercharged. Given all the issues we’d had, he did not feel compelled to return and insist they adjust the bill—especially since he had to remind them about the additional charges in the first place.

As  he joined us in the taxi, he'd handed the driver the voucher for the Hertz car. It showed the address of the office. The driver nodded as though he knew where he was going, but he obviously didn’t understand much English.

We drove to the other side of town. The driver parked and got out, so we followed, but we saw no hint of a sign for Hertz. We asked where the office was. He pointed across the street and indicated we go upstairs. We figured he knew where the office was. After all, he had the address.

So we dragged our bags across the street and up the escalator to the train station. On the second floor, we still saw no signs for Hertz, but we did see signs for car rentals. We followed the directions down the station platform, up another escalator, across another walkway, and up another escalator.

At the top, we looked around. We saw signs for Avis and Eurocar, but not for Hertz. We went to one of the desks and asked about Hertz. The person indicated we should wait until he got someone who spoke English. He returned with a young woman. She looked at the address and frowned. Then she indicated we should go to the far end of the station and then go downstairs and outside. (Did I mention this was quite a large station?)

So, we hiked down to the end of the station and found another set of escalators. Then we took our bags to the bottom floor. We walked outside, looked around, and still saw no sigh of Hertz.

We went back into the station to reconnoiter. As we talked about what to do, a nice young woman, whose job seemed to be to provide assistance, approached us. Through her limited English and our limited French, we finally conveyed our problem.

She studied the address. Then she walked us outside, pointed down the street, and indicated we should cross, go to the traffic light, and then go around the corner. “Five minutes.” She smiled and nodded.

We were to hear “five minutes” quite a few times during our trip. We weren’t sure whether it was just a stock answer or whether it might have been used to represent whatever the real measure of time or distance might be. Sometimes, it actually took five minutes. Most times, it took longer. This was one of those times.

So, we walked down to the light (in the opposite direction from where we were supposed to go), crossed the street, and walked the two long blocks to the corner with the signal.

We turned left, as directed. We went one block. No sign of Hertz. So, we went another block and then another. Finally, Larry pointed. “There it is.” I had to look hard to see the Hertz logo on the side of the building another block away and across another street. 

We finally reached the office—an empty office. No sign of anyone anywhere around. We walked around a couple of times before Larry spotted a sign on the door. It gave detailed directions to where the office had moved—five minutes away. He took a photo so we could follow the directions.

Then we started out again. This time, at least, we felt we knew where we were supposed to go.

We finally located the building the directions described. We entered and took the elevator down. We finally located the Hertz desk, about an hour and a half after we arrived at the first station. We were worn out, and we hadn’t even left town.

We had reserved a Peugeot SUV, but they didn’t have any. Instead, we were given a Citroën C8 Eurovan. Quite a nice vehicle, actually. 

Before we left home, Larry had started having nightmares about driving in Paris. We had seen how crazy the drivers were, and he felt intimidated before he ever got behind the wheel. He decided to add Bob as a second driver. Good decision.

So, we loaded up all our bags and headed out of the building. We followed the Exit signs and drove up one aisle and down another and then into the next building. After our convoluted route to locate the place, we felt as though we were doomed to spend the entire day wandering around. After driving around and around and around, we finally emerged onto the street.

The traffic seemed intimidating, but once we were out of the city, the trip got easier. We followed the built-in GPS (converted for English) without any issues.

At last, we arrived in Geverny, hungry and tired.

Next blog: Day 9 continued: Le Rouge Gorge and the Monet Museum in Giverny

France – Day 8 – 4/5/18 - Picasso and Laundry

This was our last day in Paris until we returned at the end of our trip. We had one day left on our museum passes. The only museum left on Bob’s bucket list was the Picasso Museum. Their current special show featured his painting “Guernica.” This was Bernie’s favorite Picasso painting, so she really wanted to see it.

Larry had suffered from a mild cold for several days and said he’d really like to rest. I like some of Picasso’s work, especially his drawings, but I didn’t feel compelled to go to another museum. We were also running low on underwear and knew we’d be on the road for several days. So, we volunteered to do the laundry while Bob & Bernie went to the Picasso.

We packed all our laundry into our laundry bag and our spare ripstop nylon suitcase. Then we pooled our coins for the machines.

Bob studied the Metro map but couldn’t figure out how to get there. We had also used up our Metro passes, so they decided to take a taxi. (This ended up being the most expensive taxi ride of the trip.)

Larry went to Google Maps and found a self-service laundry about a mile away. The Metro station was about half a mile from the timeshare, and this was another half mile beyond it. Very doable.

We waved Bob and Bernie off and then set out to locate the laundry. We found it easily, and the walk was pleasant. Unlike the laundry at the timeshare, this was clean with sufficient equipment, a change machine, and laundry supplies. We had taken some Tide pods and dryer sheets, so we didn’t need to buy soap or anti-static sheets. (We learned years ago to carry these with us. They have come in handy in the past.)

When we arrived, the manager was present. She tried to help us, but she spoke no English. Thankfully, another couple was doing their laundry, and they spoke a little English. This facility appeared the same as one we had used on our previous trip in 2014. As the helpful lady explained how to use the machines, we realized it was nearly identical.

We had enough coins for the two washers, we but needed to get more for the dryer. Fortunately, the place had a change machine, so coping with the payment was easy.

Unlike the laundry at the timeshare, these machines worked well. They were efficient, and we had clean, dry clothes before lunchtime.

We dropped off the bags at the timeshare before we went back out to reconnoiter lunch. We had noticed a brassiere a couple of blocks away and decided to try it.

As we were seated, we saw a waiter deliver a burger. It looked good, so Larry ordered one. I ordered the chicken with salad and pomme frites (French fries). Unfortunately, my chicken was the worst food we encountered in the entire trip. The serving consisted of a thigh and leg. I don’t care for dark meat, but usually a thigh isn’t too dark. This one was. It appeared much smaller than the same cut we would expect in the US. (I suspected it might have been rooster, but the English translation on the menu said “chicken” not “capon.”)

I took off the skin, as I always do. Then I tried to cut a bite. Even with a steak knife, I couldn’t cut it. I finally tore off a bite, and it was inedible—too tough to chew and with no flavor. Larry tried to cut a bite to taste, and he encountered the same issues.

The salad consisted of frisée and radicchio—neither of which I care for. Fortunately, the basket of slices of baguette provided as good as ever, and so did the potatoes.

Larry’s burger proved to be a bit less tasty than it looked. The patty contained meat plus who-knew-what else. It tasted more like under-seasoned meatloaf. It was supposed to have been a “cheeseburger,” but the cheese consisted of a cheese sauce, which could have been made of melted Velveeta. It soaked into the bun and patty. Very strange. But the brioche bun was delicious.

Larry decided he needed dessert. (Of course, he did.) He asked for the menu and discovered coffee ice cream. It’s my very favorite. I ordered a scoop, and Larry ordered the sundae with chocolate sauce and a huge dollop of whipped cream.

The dessert nearly made up for the rest of the meal. I like a strongly flavored coffee ice cream, and this was delicious. It had an espresso-flavor and contained tiny bits of espresso beans. Maybe the best coffee ice cream I ever ate. Larry loved his sundae, too.

When Bob & Bernie returned, we got a full report on their adventure. After they left the museum, they showed the guard their Metro map and discovered a station a couple of blocks away. They also asked for a restaurant recommendation and ate a couple of blocks from the museum.

They decided to visit Montmartre and Sacré-Coeur cathedral since they were already out. The church sits at the top of a hill. They didn’t want to climb the hill, so they took the funicular. They said the view was spectacular. It would have been an additional climb to the cathedral, and they decided not to make the hike.

We finished up the odds and ends of food instead of eating an actual meal and went to bed fairly early.

Next: Our auto adventure

France – Day 7 – 4/4/18

On our last trip we didn’t get to Musée de l'Orangerie, the special museum created to display Monet’s largest paintings of the water lilies.

Just as everywhere else in Paris, security was tight, but this museum wasn’t as crowded as some of the others.

The large murals are displayed in two oval rooms, built especially for them based on designs created by Monet himself. The building was completed in 1916, prior to WWI. During WWII, it suffered damage. Several of the paintings had to be restored. But the impact of these huge artworks is breathtaking.

As you might have guessed, Monet is my very favorite artist. Here, completely surrounded by his work, I felt as though I’d gone to heaven.

Bob was nearly as enthusiastic as I was.

When we had seen everything at the museum, Bob decided he wanted to see the Arc de Triumphe. Larry tried to talk Bob into going on the Ferris wheel at Place de la Concorde, but he declined. (Bob is terrified of heights.)

We found our way back to the Metro and emerged right at the Arc. Since it was lunchtime, we set out to find a restaurant on the Champs Elysees. We finally settled on Flora Danica. We ordered Caesar salads. Of course, they were served with the obligatory baguettes. We were happily on bread overdose.

After lunch, we walked back down to the Arc de Triomphe, where we took photos. Since it had begun to drizzle, we decided to head back to the timeshare.

I wasn’t hungry, but the rest of them went to a local take-out pizza shop and brought back a pie for dinner along with a six pack of Pepsi.

So ended another busy but wonderful day in Paris!

Next time: Picasso and laundry

France – Day 6 – 4/3/18

After breakfast, we headed out on the Metro for Musée d’Orsay. After seeing the lines the first time we went, we made sure to arrive early. The museum was supposed to open at nine-thirty, and we got there a little after nine. We still had our museum passes, so we didn’t have to stand in the line for tickets. The entry line only serpentined for two loops instead of the dozen we’d seen before.

So, we waited…and waited… Nine-thirty came and went. The line grew even longer than on our previous visit. Fortunately, we were near the front of the line. Finally, the people ahead of us started moving. We got through security and entered the museum a little after ten o’clock.

To begin with, the building is a converted train station. (If you saw the movie Hugo, it was supposed to be set in this station. Instead of one huge clock, it actually has three.) The architecture alone is worth the visit. The building also used to house an elegant hotel with a restaurant.

We headed straight to the top floor for the Impressionists and soaked in the gorgeousness. Monet, Manet, Renoir, Degas, Cezanne, Pissarro, Sisley, and many others are represented.

The museum featured a special show with Van Gogh, Gaugin, and the Neo-impressionists, Seurat, Signac, etc. We took our time and enjoyed our favorites.

Since it was Larry’s birthday, we had already decided to have lunch at the museum restaurant. We had eaten there on our last trip and enjoyed it. They have replaced the chairs with very modern ones. They look a bit like shattered glass, but they are comfortable. We enjoyed the food—and the desserts.

We took our time exploring the whole place. This is probably my favorite museum in the world. Unlike the Louvre, which is overwhelming and crowded, the Orsay is accessible and easy to maneuver. I also love their collections.

By this time, Bob had become our navigator in the Metro. I had told him how easy it was, and he figured it out. Since we left the museum in the afternoon, the trains were pretty full. We nearly lost Bernie on the return trip.

Quite a few people got off, so we didn’t have much time to board. Larry and I got on, Bob followed. As he reached back for Bernie, the doors closed. She was left on the platform looking terrified. With her total lack of sense of direction, being lost in a foreign city represented her very worst nightmare.

As we pulled out, Larry held up one finger. He hoped she’d get the message: get on the next train and meet us at the next station. But we weren’t at all sure she’d understand.

All the way to the next station we worried about her. I expected her to be in full panic mode. But she surprised us all when she was on the next train. We joined her and made it back to the timeshare together.

Since we’d had a delicious lunch, we decided to have apples and cheese again for dinner. We decided on an early evening since we planned for a busy following day.

France – Day 5 – 4/2/18

After our usual breakfast, we headed out on the Metro for the Louvre.

We found a LONG line waiting for the security check. When we finally got through this, we came up to another super-long line to enter the museum. Despite our arrival at the time of museum opening, we spent nearly an hour waiting in line. Our passes helped, but the wait was exceptionally long. Once again, we felt the increased security impact.

Welcome to France with enhanced security—and LONG lines.

We went through several galleries. Lots to see, but the whole museum is a maze of convoluted routes and dead-ends with up and down stairways.

By 11:45, we were tired and hungry. We were near the museum restaurant and decided to stop here for lunch. As we were waiting for a table, I suddenly felt light headed. Fortunately, I didn’t pass out. They didn’t have a table for four available, but we were able to get two tables for two. Ours was near the dessert display, so Larry selected his before he even started his meal.

Bob and Bernie were seated near the window with a nice view. Even though we weren’t sitting together, we all ordered Caesar salads. Larry had a terrific Napoleon for dessert, and I had a wonderful lemon tart.

After lunch, we set out again. We realized we hadn’t seen the Mona Lisa. So, down hallways, up stairs, down stairs, around corners, into another building, we encountered more and more people. We finally reached the gallery which housed Da Vinci’s masterpiece. Just as four years before, we couldn’t get to within twenty feet of the painting. She is now behind two layers of glass, and railings keep visitors several feet away.

After spending hours walking through the museum, we were ready to head back. We enjoyed the day, but none of us felt the need to return.

We had enjoyed a great lunch, so we went to the store and bought apples, cheese, crackers, Sun Chips, and tea. The lighter repast hit the spot.

We went to bed early because we had another busy day planned for the following day.

Next post: Musee d’Orsay and Larry’s birthday.

France – Day 4 – 4/1/18 – Easter Sunday – Part II La Tour Eiffel

After church, we decided to walk the few blocks over to La Tour Eiffel (the Eiffel Tower). We were energized by the wonderful Easter service, so the walk wasn’t as daunting as the day before.

Before long, we spotted the top of the tower. At last, we looked down a side street, and there was the iconic symbol of France.

Unlike our previous trip when people strolled around the tower, kids played and walked in the park behind it, and dogs ran freely, now, just as at Notre Dame, Saint Chappelle, and other places throughout town, the entire area around the tower was surrounded by fencing and barriers. Security checks were necessary to gain access anywhere nearby. Even though the icon is still most beautiful, I felt sad to see it isolated because of safety issues.

We got as close as we could. The cherry blossoms were in bloom. We could still see the lovely, lacy ironwork. It appears so fragile, and yet it has stood since 1889. Of course, it has been updated and strengthened, but its delicate beauty remains.

Since lunchtime arrived, we decided to go to a restaurant we had eaten at on our last trip and which was a favorite, La Terrasse. Three of us ordered the quiche Lorraine, and Larry ordered the penne pasta. The food was just as good as we remembered. Although we were quite sated, we had to try the crème brulee again since it was our favorite on our last trip. So, we ordered one serving with four spoons. Memory served well. It is still the best we have tasted on this trip.

After lunch, we returned to our place. When we entered, we realized that the area around the toilet was dry. We assumed the maintenance man had come during our absence and fixed it.

When we looked at the TV, we realized the old one had been replaced. This one was quite a bit smaller—about the size of one of the monitors on my computer at home. BUT, the English-language stations worked. Some of the French ones didn’t, but the ones we were interested in did. Of course, the selections are quite limited: Sonlife Broadcasting (Jimmy Swaggart’s channel), Bloomberg (economic reporting), CNBC International (Primarily business reporting), BBC World service International (mostly economic news mixed with occasional breaking news stories around the world), and two Al Jazeera stations (Al Jazeera International and Al Jazeera England). Not a great selection unless we were focused on the stock markets around the world, however we might be able to get some up-to-date news. A big improvement from the two days before.

We were running short on clean clothes, so, while I wrote a blog, Larry and Bernie went downstairs to use the laundry. First, they had to get some change for the machines. The only place to get change was at the desk. They only had €10.00 in change, so we took it. We were able to collect enough coins to run our loads.

They went down to the lower level and located the laundry room. The cost was posted as €5 per wash load and €2,50 to dry. Bernie placed her clothes in the washer and put in the money. Nothing happened. Larry put ours in a different washer, put in the money, and it ran. They put money in Bernie’s washer again, and this time, it started.

They went to the desk to report the lost money. The manager said they have nothing to do with the laundry facility and could not refund the lost money.

The wash cycle ran okay. When it was done, they decided to combine the two loads in the dryer since it appeared large enough. They put in the coins and the cycle began. After the stated time for the clothes to be dry, they opened the door. The light-weight items, which should have been dry, were still wet. A couple of items—heavier and thicker—were nearly dry.

When they closed the door, they realized the cycle stopped when the door was opened and would not re-start. So, they put in more money and started the dryer again. This time, they waited for the cycle to stop by itself. Still, most of the clothes were wet or at lest damp. They pulled out the driest pieces, added more money, and started the machine again.

When this load was finished, they brought the damp clothes upstairs. We hung them all over the place, putting the wettest on the radiators.

We decided to go out to reconnoiter some dinner. We looked at the restaurants in the neighborhood and realized most of them were closed. Of course, it was Easter Sunday! So, we stopped by the store and picked up some cheese, crackers, and apples. This proved the perfect decision after all the fabulous food we had enjoyed.

We were quite tired after all the walking and decided to turn in early. After all, we had plans for the next day.

Next installment: France – Day 5 – 4/2/18

France – Day 4 – 4/1/18 – Easter Sunday

As we prepared for breakfast, Larry noticed water on the floor in the toilet room. (This is separate from the shower room.) Clearly, the toilet was leaking.

After breakfast, we told the concierge about the leak and reminded him we still had no English-language TV stations, despite the efforts of the maintenance man the day before.

The last time we were in Paris (four years ago), we were also here on Easter Sunday. We decided to go to the local church near our hotel to celebrate the holiday with the locals. What a disappointment! No music, no indication of a special day, no flowers, just a regular Mass. When we returned to our hotel, we saw another member of our tour group. She said she had gone to The American Church, and the service was wonderful. This time, we decided to follow her lead.

To make sure we arrived on time, we asked the concierge call us a cab—well worth the cost (€16.36).

I was surprised to find the church—a cathedral really—located in the middle of a residential block. However, the illusion was shattered as soon as we entered. What a beautiful edifice.

  

The only seats remaining were either in the balcony or down the side. We were pretty well over climbing stairs from the day before, so we opted for the side seats. Although there were posts in our way, we were able to maneuver so we could see nearly everything.

The Prelude featured several soloists performing sections from The Messiah, accompanied by the magnificent organ and trumpet. What a great way to start to the day.

Following the Greeting and Call to Worship, the choir entered to a marvelous arrangement of “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” with “Thine is the Glory”. (Here is a slightly different arrangement from Duke Chapel in 2012, not the American Church. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js8h3NC3b3Q)

Following the Prayer of Confession, the Youth Choirs sang “Our Lord is Risen!” (This recording doesn’t do the song justice. The kids did a much better job. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=)

Following the reading of Acts 10:34-43, The choir presented the anthem: “Let the Bright Seraphim.” (I couldn’t find the Malcomm Archer arrangement of this one with three trumpets, organ, and choir.) Magnificent.

The reading of Mark 16 1-8 was followed by the sermon. Wonderful message, appropriate and applicable to today.

Next came “Exsulatate, Jubliate” from an a cappella group, Lumina. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c5ocfUGpfI)

More prayers were followed by the offertory: “Passacaglia” performed by the bell choir under the direction of music director, Fred Gramann. (Much of the music, including this piece, was written and/or arranged by him. What a talented guy.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAC-OUGgxlo

The Doxology followed. Then came the invitation to communion. The usual words of institution were sung to “From All That Dwell Below the Skies.” (This tune was used https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLc09-5bpbg) What a delightful change. The congregation sang the first and last two verses. The lyrics in the middle were changed to the words of institution, sung by two of the pastors. I could imagine Bob using this way of beginning communion during his days as a minister.

The communion service was efficient, despite the number of people in attendance. During communion, we were treated to Bach’s “Sanfte soll mein Todeskummer” from the Easter Oratorio. (All the versions I found were played by chamber orchestras.) This was followed by “My Lord, What a Morning,” sung by Nichole Taylor. What a magnificent voice! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KMeormaEIg.

Another prayer was followed by the hymn “The Day of Resurrection” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIx_0jhW1Y.

After the benediction, those who wished to were invited to join the choir for the singing of “The Hallelujah Chorus.” They close their Easter service this way each year, appropriate since “The Messiah” was written for Easter.

I had to. I just had to. We had sung this on Christmas Eve in our church in Kobe, Japan (in addition to many other times). So, I simply had to sing it in Paris when given the opportunity. Larry, Bob, and Bernie also opted to join. I loved it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUZEtVbJT5c.

The Postlude was one of Larry’s favorite organ pieces, “Toccata” from Symphony No. 5 by Charles-Marie Widor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKejfYzB3ak

I was in ecstasy throughout the entire service. What a wonderful contrast to our experience four years ago. This time, we had an abundance of gorgeous music, a communion service, and a fabulous sermon. One of the most perfect Easter celebrations I have ever experienced.

After church, Bernie and I went in search of the toilets. When we located them, we found a pretty long line—as usual. As I always do, I began a conversation with the gal behind us. She asked where we were from. When we said, “Dana Point,” she laughed. “I was there just a week ago.” No one ever knows where Dana Point is, so this was a real surprise. She said she visits there quite often. We exchanged cards, and she said she’d contact us the next time she is in California. Small world, indeed.

We left the church about ten-thirty with time still left in the morning.

Next: France – Day 4 – 4/1/18 – Easter Sunday Part II